338 Lapua Mag

[Martino1]

I'l loading .338 LM for a friend of mine who bought Berger 300gr Elite Hunters. I'm using S&B brass Federal 215M primer and Retumbo powder. He's shooting a Savage. I looked up the load info on Berger's site and I saw Min charge for Retumbo at 85gr and the Max at 89.5gr.

Hodgdons website quotes 85gr min and 94gr Max.

That's a pretty big spread on the max side. My first time loading .338 and that's about twice the powder volume I put in my rounds so I'm a little concerned loading east of 90gr given the above Max difs.

Anyone have any experience with the bullets and powders?

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

I'l loading .338 LM for a friend of mine who bought Berger 300gr Elite Hunters. I'm using S&B brass Federal 215M primer and Retumbo powder. He's shooting a Savage. I looked up the load info on Berger's site and I saw Min charge for Retumbo at 85gr and the Max at 89.5gr.

Hodgdons website quotes 85gr min and 94gr Max.

That's a pretty big spread on the max side. My first time loading .338 and that's about twice the powder volume I put in my rounds so I'm a little concerned loading east of 90gr given the above Max difs.

Anyone have any experience with the bullets and powders?

I'd go "easy" on the Retumbo starting out as there is some variations in lot to lot. - That's my experience with Retumbo in a couple of calibers. - Starting out, I'd stay below 89.5 for sure on the first loads you test & work up in 1/2 gr. increments.
For the 338 Lapua and Improved variant I like Alliant Reloder 33 and so do quite a few other shooters & reloaders. - I have no experience with S & B brass & that's another reason to go easy at first & work your way up until you know what the brass is capable of handling safely & where the best accuracy comes at.

I've shot 97.0 gr. of Reloder 33 with a 300 gr. Berger Hybrid & 300 gr. SMK using Federal 215M's in both Lapua & Norma brass as a fire-form load. - Yielded good accuracy & velocity in a Savage Model 112 single shot.

Good Luck & Good Shooting

- Ron -

 

[shortthroat]

I shoot my .338 at 85.5 gr Retumbo and 300 gr. Berger or SMK bullets. That gives about 2600 fps and is around 2% compressed loading. Higher charges near 89 gr. are around 7% compressed and near maximum pressure, but don't shoot as well for me at around 2700 fps. These are through a 28" barrel Ulfberht. I have used RL33 for some tests but find it to be a much dirtier powder, although the groups are similar, so Retumbo is pretty much the powder for the heavier bullets. Lighter bullets, the 250 SMK for instance, really do like H1000. I would like to try Lovex S070 or S071 but can only find the somewhat faster S065 in Shooter's World brand.

 

[majohnson]

My load for 338LM is 91.7 Retumbo with 300gr Hybrid. It was the load I was using to breakin my barrel and it shot so well I haven’t tried anything else. I know Greg at Bugholes loads it around 93gr. with 300 gr Bergers.

 

[Martino1]

I don't have a lot of brass so I didn't want to do a pressure test but I guess I have no choice if there is variability from lot to lot of Retumbo.

 

[338 dude]

I'l loading .338 LM for a friend of mine who bought Berger 300gr Elite Hunters. I'm using S&B brass Federal 215M primer and Retumbo powder. He's shooting a Savage. I looked up the load info on Berger's site and I saw Min charge for Retumbo at 85gr and the Max at 89.5gr.

Hodgdons website quotes 85gr min and 94gr Max.

That's a pretty big spread on the max side. My first time loading .338 and that's about twice the powder volume I put in my rounds so I'm a little concerned loading east of 90gr given the above Max difs.

 

[338 dude]

Lapua Brass N-570 88 grains Elite Hunter 300 grain cci 250 primers 2720 fps

 

[barefooter56]

I'l loading .338 LM for a friend of mine who bought Berger 300gr Elite Hunters. I'm using S&B brass Federal 215M primer and Retumbo powder. He's shooting a Savage. I looked up the load info on Berger's site and I saw Min charge for Retumbo at 85gr and the Max at 89.5gr.

Hodgdons website quotes 85gr min and 94gr Max.

That's a pretty big spread on the max side. My first time loading .338 and that's about twice the powder volume I put in my rounds so I'm a little concerned loading east of 90gr given the above Max difs.

Anyone have any experience with the bullets and powders?

Martino1,
I suggest you use the BERGER load data. Our load data is based on the COAL listed with the data. Load data is conservative. I don't suggest trying to load these bullets to fit the magazine of your Savage rifle due to their over SAMMI length nose dimension.

 

[Sniper338]

Try h1000 for the savages... re33 for everything else.. jmo.